Cutting mechanism for buttonhole-stitching machines.



7 No. 723,247. PATENTED MAR. 24, 1903.

' C. A. DAHL & G. S. HILL. CUTTING MECHANISM FOR BUTTONHOLE STITGHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1902.

NO MODEL.

I y I z I 2 v 8;: I? w llm e a w UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

CHARLES A. DAIIL, OF LYNN, AND GEORGE S. HILL, OF HAVERHILL MAS- SAOHUSETTS, ASSIGNORS TO REEOE BUTTONHOLE MACHINE COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, AND BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

CUTTING MECHANISM FOR BUTIONHOLE-STITCHING MACHINES.

, SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 723,247, dated March 24, 1903. Application filed August 15 190?. Serial No. 119,700. (No model.)

To all whom it flea/y concern.-

Be it known that we, CHARLES A. DAHL, residing at Lynn, and GEORGE S. HILL, residing at Haverhill, county of Essex, State of Massachusetts, citizens of the UnitedStates,

have invented ,an Improvement in Cutting Mechanism for Buttonhole Stitching Machines, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings,

is a specification, like characters on the draw ings representing like parts.

This invention relates to novel means for actuating a cutter-carrier havinga blade for cutting a buttonhole in material. I

The cutter in practice will form part of a buttonhole-stitching machine of a type substantially as represented in United States Patent No. 714,28l, dated November 25, 1902.

The particular features in which this invention consists Will be pointed out in the specification and specified in the claims at the end thereof.

- Figure 1 in elevation and section shows a sufficient portion of a'buttonhole-stitching machine with our improvements added to enable our invention to be understood. Fig. 2 is a view thereof below the dotted line at, Fig. 1.

A represents the bed of the machine; A

the shaft for actuating the needle-bar; A, the main shaft having a crank A for imparting movement to the needle-bar-actuating shaft. I I

E E represent part of a lever pivoted at E and having a notched leg E This lever in practice is employed to open a cloth-clamp. H represents a rock-shaft surrounded by a spring and held normally in the position shown in Fig. 2 by means of a lever k pivoted at M, a toe of saidlever entering a notch of the rock-shaft. The rock-shaft H has connected withit an arm h 'that carries a beltshipper H. v, p

The shaft A has a fast pulley A anda loose pulley A The shaft H is surrounded by a spring h", one end of which abuts the arm H and the other the bearing h, in which the shaft H is located. When the lever h is 5o turnedat the completion of the stitching of a buttonhole against the spring h, the shaft H is released, letting the spring k slide the shaft H in order that the belt-shipper may transfer the belt from the fast onto the loose pulley, and at the same time the camm on the shaftA? moves the lever h and the rockshaft H causing the arm H at that time in engagement with the notch of the leg E to depress the leg, turn the lever E and open the cloth-clamp.

In the drawings, b represents a lever that may be turned about its fulcru m e by a double screw, as provided for in said patent.

The devices so far described and referred to by letter are designated by like letters in said patent, wherein they are fully described, and hence need not be herein further specifically referred to. I

The invention to be herein described relates more particularly to the means for outtingthe slit in the buttonhole and devices for actuating the same from a moving part of a buttonhole-stitching machine, said moving part as herein illustrated being the lever 5 .The cutter-carrying lever H is pivoted on a stud H held in suitable brackets 11*, depending from the under side of the bed A The cutter-carrying lever at the end of its longer arm has attached to it in usual manthe overhanging arm in practice sustaining ner by a screw a blade G The opposite or short arm of said lever belowthe bed is provided with a notch 2, and the blade is normally maintained elevated, as represented in Fig. 1, during the stitching of a buttonhole by means of a spring 3. A stand 4, depending from the bed,is provided with a studscrew 5, on which is pivoted an actuator 6, shown as an elbow-lever, one arm of which depends in the path of movement of the leverb. One arm of the actuator receives a 0 stud 7 shown chiefly by dotted lines, that is used to joint to the end of said arm the bifurcated end of a finger 8. A spring 9, connected by a stud 1001' otherwise with a part of said finger and by a suitable stud 12 with the lever' b acts normally to cause the outer end of the finger 8 to contact with a portion of the shorter arm of the cutter-carrying 1ever,as represented in Fig. 1, during the time that the cutter-lever occupies its inoperative position, and the stitch-forming mechanism is at rest aftera buttonhole has been cut and the cutter has been moved into its inoperative position.

Assuming the parts as represented in Figs. 1 and 2 and that the stitching of a buttonhole is about to be commenced, during the stitching of the buttonhole the lever 6 as fully provided forin said patent, is moved in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 2, and during such movement the spring 9 acts to keep the lower end of the actuator 6 'in contact with the lever b and as the spring turns the actuator the stud 7 is depressed, as represented in dotted lines, Fig. 1; but the spring acts normally to maintain the outer end of the finger against the short arm of the lever h at one side of the notch 2, and, finally, owing to the stress of the spring, the positions of the actuator and the finger are so changed that the stud 7 passes below the center of the stud 5 and the center of the notch 2. This is designated by dotted lines, and at this time the outer end of the finger fully enters the notch. The finger stands in the notch 2 while the stitching of the buttonhole is carried on; but after stitching the second side of the buttonhole, and while the latter is being barred at its second end the lever 17 is moved opposite the arrow, Fig. 2, and just as the buttonhole is completed the lever arrives in such position as to move the actuator sufficiently to cause the outer end of the finger resting in the notch to move the lever H and cause the blade carried thereby to meet and cut the slit in the buttonhole. Dur ing the operation of moving the lever H to cause the blade to cut the slit in the buttonhole the stud 7 is raised, and as the cutting operation is completed the change of position of the stud 7 is such that the outer end of the finger slips out of the notch 2, permitting the spring 3 to immediately assume control of the cutter-carrier H and withdraw the blade from the material, holding the same in the position Fig. 1, ready for another operation.

We believe that we are the first to actuate a cutter-carrier of the kind shown by means of an actuator having a pivot and springcontrolled finger and do not, therefore, intend to limit our invention to any particular device for moving the actuator, as many devices may be employed for this purpose.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s

1. In a machine for stitching buttonholes, a cutter-lever having a notch in its shorter arm, an actuator having pivoted upon it a finger, a spring acting normally to keep said finger in contact with the shorter arm of said lever and to cause the outer end of said finger to enter the notch of the cutter-lever,

and a device to move said actuator atthe completion of the stitching of a buttonhole to actuate the cutter-lever to cut a slit for the buttonhole.

2. In a machine for stitching buttonholes, a cutter-carrying lever, an actuator, comprising a lever having afinger pivoted thereon between its ends, a spring connected with the shorter arm of said finger to keep the finger in operative engagement with an arm of said cutter-carrying lever during the operation of stitching a buttonhole, and means to move said actuator and finger instantly at the substantial completion of a buttonhole to move the cutter-carrying lever to cut a slit in the material to constitute a buttonhole.

In testimony whereof we have signed our names to this specification in the presence of tWo subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES A. DAHL. GEORGE 'S. HILL. Witnesses:

GEO. W. GREGORY, EDITH M. STODDARD. 

